Box Elder by John Higdon

Box Elder

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:43:21 -0800

As I contemplate sixty years of my life, I realize that much time has spanned the globe and I have been involved in many events during this time period. My early remembrances of life on the farm, at Calumet, Oklahoma, the place of my birth, are very significant in the persona that I present today.
We, as a family, were involved with survival of everyday life. The animals took much of our time, since they were essential to the operation of the farm. My father, Lawrence Edmund Higdon, was very fond of horses, and had workhorses, which were used in the farming operation. My mother, Petranella Mary (Schaefer) Higdon, served as mother, chief cook, dish and clothes washer, soap maker, canner, gardener and caretaker of the chickens, was the stalwart of the household, along with my dad and the older siblings.
I used the title, BOX ELDER, because of the smooth bark of the box elder tree, which sat in the northeast corner of the front yard. That little tree, dwarfed by the giant elms and bla

Chapter 1

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:43:11 -0800

The beginning of my story will have to focus on the two sides of my family. My grandmother, Mary Curran, came to this country as a result of the potato famine in Ireland. The other side of the coin is my grandfather, Peter Schaefer, an immigrant from Germany. I don’t know much about the Curran family, except they settled in Sedalia, Missouri. Two sisters ended up in Okarche. The first married a Coffey and Mary visiting her sister, met and married Peter Schaefer. The result of this union, were five children. Petranella, Marie, Agnes, Joseph and Josephine.
Peter Schaefer and his brother Mathias came to the United States, from Germany. They were young, twelve years or so, and were sponsored by an older relative. They first settled in Minnesota and later came to Indian Territory, to purchase land North and west of Okarche, Oklahoma. The name Okarche, which always sounded German to me, actually means, (Oklahoma Arapaho Cheyenne) a plains Indian tribe. Thus OK-AR-CHE. I think Okarche

Chapter 2

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:43:00 -0800

Lawrence, having been to Tulsa and later serving in the Army, had a yen to go to dances and enjoying the finer things of life. His good friends at Okarche were the Wiewel boys. They were Truby, Ray, Art and Ottmer. It was through them that he ended up in Okarche, where he met Nellie Schaefer. The farm life had been rough on Nellie, but her spirit was undaunted and hard work had left her a lean and good-looking lass of twenty years. Lawrence, likewise, was lean and a good-looking man of twenty eight years. He was the sole support of his mother, who had lost her husband, in a tragic accident, on September 24, 1923. Wanting the latest luxuries, Robert and Mary had installed a Carbide gas system, to have gas lamps in the house. While Robert was mixing the carbide, the plant exploded, killing him instantly. Lawrence found him, on returning home, with the turkeys picking at his body. In spite of the accident, the courtship continued, and Lawrence and Nellie were married in January

Chapter 3

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:42:34 -0800

1939 saw the beginning of a new era, as the world situation was changing. Being 4 years old, conditions of the world were the least of my worries. Adolf Hitler had risen to power ,in Germany, and the world was on the verge of being thrust into the clutches of World War 2. Europe was not the only bastion of trouble. The Japanese were also busy with plans of their own. Scrap metal was high and furs, from animals, were also going at a high price. The Japanese were building their war machine from the metal. The Germans were using the fur to make linings for hats in soldier’s uniforms.
Being in the heartland of America, Calumet, Oklahoma, and on a farm far removed from the world, life went on as usual for the Higdon family. My dad hired a man, George McClung. He worked for us for a sum of $15.00 a month, plus room and board. It seemed a pittance, but to make some money and food and place to stay was very good for this time period. Robert and Mildred were big enough to help, but i

Chapter 4

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:42:27 -0800

I had another close call, with another large farm animal. We were fixing fence, south of the barn. I gingerly walked under a horse’s belly and tried to milk her. She was not like a cow. She had two teats, which were long and flat. I squeezed one of them and saw a giant hoof move by my body. I was so far under her belly she totally missed me. In retrospect, I know the meaning of a guardian angel.
One summer morning I headed for the outhouse to go to the toilet. Between consuming a lot of water and eating fresh vegetables, I was ready to do a Number 2. When I opened the door of the out house, I was confronted by a horned toad. His glistening eyes and rough skin diminished all thoughts of entering his domain. I had never seen such a creature. I did the number 2 in my pants, either out of fear or waiting too long. I was old enough to be ashamed, for having done this, so I hid out all day. When I went to the supper table, my secret was out. After a razzing, by my siblings, m

Chapter 5

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:42:18 -0800

Oklahoma always seemed to have plenty of storms. When the pressure dropped and a storm appeared imminent, mom would always say “head to the cellar”. One day, I went to the cellar, before anyone else. Rushing down the short flight of stairs, I confronted an Indian chief, sitting in the corner of the cellar. Chief Redbird presented a worse situation than the storm, and I quickly retreated to the top of the stairs. When mom came out she took me back to the cellar with her. She always had some Palm leaves from Palm Sunday and a pie tin. At the height of the storm, she would burn the Palm leaves and pray the rosary. Evidently the power of prayer must work, as we always survived the wrath of the storms.
I remember one particular storm. It was so dark that day turned into night. The storm was so great, it produced eleven inches of rain, in a short period of time. The field, above the cow lane to the east pasture, was planted in corn. The heavy rains gathered up the corn stalks and

Chapter 6

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:42:09 -0800

We always knew when winter was passing and spring was in the air. The dust bowl of the thirties still showed its teeth in the forties, stirring up the tilled and unmanageable fields. World War 2 was in full swing by now, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. President Roosevelt said, “I don’t want war, Eleanor doesn’t want war, my dog doesn’t want war. But if they want war, then we will give them war”. It seemed as though every one in the country had a person serving in the military. Our family was too young at the time, for military service. Robert was drafted in 1944, when he got out of high school. The United States was not prepared for war. It took a supreme effort to marshal equipment and draftees for military service.
Canadian county became an integral part of the operation. Army Air Corps established training bases at Mustang and Cimmaron air fields. A prisoner of war camp was established north of the federal reformatory, at El Reno. The short cut

Chapter 7

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:41:57 -0800

El Reno, county seat of Canadian county. The population of El Reno, in 1944, was approximately 11,000. This seemed a far cry from the country living and a small town. Mildred had left the farm and Calumet, after high school, moving to Roswell, New Mexico. Agnes and Marie were there first. Josephine followed and Grandma and Grandpa Schaefer were there also. Their move was for Aunt Agnes, who needed a dryer climate, because of tuberculosis.
My dad must have had mixed emotions, since he had invested 44 years of his life, at Calumet. He was 4 years old when they first moved there. He was involved in the development of the farm and the community. He had established many friendships and was a benefactor and advisor to many of the Indians, at the 12 mile point. They consulted him about many problems. He had been in the boom at Tulsa, participated in World War one had served on Jury duty in El Reno. Farming alone can make you intelligent, because of many dealings. He was well prep

Chapter 8

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 10:41:34 -0800

Returning to the farm was a shock. We enjoyed the city life and had developed friendships during our two years there. We had forgotten our life at Calumet and the nostalgic feeling for it. Our trips to town, on Saturday, and our other interest had faded away. The smell of the pungent fire at the Blacksmiths shop was still part of my memory. The penny scramble at Springs grocery and the movies behind the Sundry shop (Hoot Gibson, W. C. Fields and westerns) were things of the past. We had become accustomed to indoor movies in El Reno.
Moving south west of El Reno wasn’t going to change our situation about work and school. The conditions at the Bretz farm were not the best. Water, for household use, came from a cistern. We had no electricity, used coal for heat and butane for cooking. The farm was very productive. Good sandy loam, a nice farm pond and adequate farm buildings. The house was quite drafty. Snow would blow through the windows, in the winter. Summers were hot and